🏠 Rent a room in your home
Let a spare room to a lodger. Up to €14,000 a year can be tax-free under Rent-a-Room Relief.
Modelled monthly, once steady
€600 – €1,000
Capital
from €0 (typical €500)
Your time
15h to set up, ~3h a month
Time to income
first ~1 mo · steady ~1 mo
The assumptions behind that range
- One room let at €600–€1,000 a month (check local listings — Dublin and cities at the top, rural areas lower).
- Occupied all year; lodgers are licensees, not tenants, when you live there.
A model, not a promise. Your result can be lower, including zero.
First three steps
- Check your mortgage/insurance/lease terms
- Price the room from local listings
- Write a house agreement (bills, guests, notice)
Before you start
- You must live in the home. If you rent, your landlord must agree.
- Tell your mortgage lender and home insurer.
Risks
- Sharing your home with someone who turns out to be difficult.
- Rent over €14,000 a year makes the whole amount taxable.
Irish tax
Rent-a-Room Relief (2026). Up to €14,000 a year from renting rooms in the home you live in is exempt from income tax, USC and PRSI, provided it is used as residential accommodation and the tenant is not a short-term guest (e.g. Airbnb) or a relative/civil partner of the owner. You still declare it on your return. Go over €14,000 and the whole amount becomes taxable. Source · reviewed 2026-09-25